ERIC ED394368: Too Little Too Late: A Case for College/K-12 Collaboration in Alcohol Abuse Prevention.

12 Pages·1996·0.36 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
HE 028 994
ED 394 368
Robinson, Leonald D.; Brantley, Paul S.
AUTHOR
Too Little Too Late: A Case for College/K-12
TITLE
Collaboration in Alcohol Abuse Prevention.
PUB DATE
[96]
NOTE
12p.
Reports Research/Technical (143)
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Age; *Alcohol Abuse; *Alcohol Education; *College
DESCRIPTORS
School Cooperation; College Students; *Drinking;
Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education;
National Surveys; *Prevention
*Core Alcohol and Drug Survey
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This study examined alcohol usage among elementary
and secondary schools students and college students, based on data
from the U.S. Department of Education's Core Alcohol and Drug Use
Survey (CADUS). The survey polled 1,452 students at a two-year
Midwestern college in 1992, 501 students at a four-year Midwestern
college in 1992, and 53,644 students nationally between 1989 and
1991. The study found that among all three sets of student responses,
about 70 percent of male and female undergraduates reported first
using alcohol before age 18, and approximately 40 percent of each
gender reported using alcohol before age 16, with about 20 percent
reporting alcohol use before age 14. The study concludes that
colleges and universities need to coordinate their alcohol abuse
prevention programs with elementary and secondary schools for the
programs to become effective in preventing alcohol use and abuse
among pre-collegiate students. (Contains 27 references.)
(MDM)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
'Or
1
Too Little, Too Late:
A Case For College/K-12
Collaboration In Alcohol Abuse Prevention
This study presents United States Department of Education
ABSTRACT:
Core Alcohol and Drug Survey data which indicates that nationally,
at a midwestern four year college and a two year college,
approximately 70% of college undergraduates have used alcohol before
age 18. The literature indicates that many undergraduates have
Therefore,
abusive drinking patterns before college admission.
it may help reduce the frequency and the negative consequences
of undergraduate alcohol abuse if college alcohol abuse
prevention programs networked with the K-12 schools.
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL
Orem or Educalionsi nmerch and improv.reem
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
CENTER (ERIC)
CI This document has been reproduced as
Lsonald D. Robinson
received from the porson or organization
priginating It.
Vf Minor changes have been made to
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Improve reproduction quality.
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Points of view or opinions stated in this
2
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
document do not necessarily represent
Official OERI position or policy.
4
1
Too Little, Too Late:
A Case For College/K-12
Collaboration In Alcohol Abuse Prevention
ABSTRACT:
This study presents United States Department of Education
Core Alcohol and Drug Survey data which indicates that nationally,
at a midwestern four year college and a two year college,
approximately 70% of college undergraduates have used alcohol before
age 18. The literature indicates that many undergraduates have
Therefore,
abusive drinking patterns before college admission.
it may help reduce the frequency and the negative consequences
of undergraduate alcohol abuse if college alcohol abuse
prevention programs networked with the K-12 schools.
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM
A landmark 1990 Carnegie Foundation Report declared that the negative
consequences generated from the use of alcohol were the most significant issue
on college campuses. Sixty-eight percent of violent behavior, 75% of sexual
assaults and 52% of physical injuries which occur annually on college campuses
have been related to alcohol usage (The Program Administrator's Handbook, 1991;
Alcohol use was either partly or completely
Collins and Messerschmidt, 1993).
responsible for 3% of college students dying annually (Digest of Educational
Statistics, 1993), 7% of college freshmen dropping out, 25% of overall college
dropouts and 34% of academic problems on college campuses (Anderson, 1989).
Furthermore, college administrators estimate an annual tuition ioss of more than
from students
million
because of
of
usage
leaving alcohol
$261
(Digest
Educational Statistics, 1993).
Colleges and universities have networked to reduce the negative consequences
the Michigan Consortium on
An example,
from undergraduate alcohol
usage.
Substance Abuse Education (MCSAE), a statewide cooperative, created in 1993,
The goal of
offers memberships to college administrators, staff and students.
MCSAE, as with similar networks between institutions of higher education, is the
exchange of ideas for developing and Implementing better undergraduate alcohol
3
0
abuse prevention programs.
it enough for colleges and universities to focus their alcohol
But,
is
iol
at
abuse preventia) efforts only toward the undergraduates currently enrolled at
their respective campuses?
nd
This study begins with a literature review which looks at K-12 student and
college undergraduate alcohol usage, then presents a brief case study of the
the
and
responses given to the United States Department of Education Core Alcohol and
and
and
Drug Survey by undergraduates during three separate self-reporting surveys,
school systems
eMS
closes with a recommendation that colleges network with the K-12
to reduce future undergraduate alcohol abuse.
Literature Review
alcohol
hol
The importance of K-12 alcohol usage developing into undergraduate
who
(1979) who
Wechsler and McFadden,
abuse was first indicated by the work of
Multiple regr';sion
ion
surveyed 6,952 undergraduates from 34 New England colleges.
ere
high school were
indicated that students who drank at least once each week in
nine times more likely than high school abstainers to be heavy alcohol users in
in
ers
Furthermore, 71% of high school abstainers continued to be abstainers
college.
The researchers concluded that
or no more than light alcohol users in college.
hat
the
the frequency of alcohol usage in high school was the strongest predictor of the
volume of alcohol usage as an undergraduate.
hol
After surveying 7,700 undergraduates at 22 colleges regarding when alcohol
was first used, Barnes and Welte (1983) used regression analysis which revealed
led
hol
that the age of first use of alcohol was the best predictor for how much alcohol
of
This study indicated that as the age of first use of
undergraduates consumed.
dty
alcohol became younger there was a increasingly greater frequency and intensity
Samson, Maxwell and Doyle (1989) also
of alcohol usage as an undergraduate.
L l so
2
found this to be true when they used multiple regression with survey data from
200 undergraduates who were asked when they first used alcohol.
Many studies indicate that significant numbers of K-12 students use alcohol.
For example, the Digest of Educational Statistics (1993) reported, based upon
United States Department of Education survey data, that in 1992, 87.5% of high
school seniors had used alcohol during their lifetime, 76.8% the previous year
Also, 6.2% of females and 10.1% of males started
and 51.3% the previous month.
alcohol usage before 4th grade; 53.1% of females and 53.9% of females between
5-8th grade; 27.8% of females and 25.1% of males started between 9-10th grade;
which adds up to 87.1% of the females and 89.1% of males having used alcohol
before eleventh grade.
was Johnson, O'Malley and Bachman
Further defining K-12 alcohol usage
(1993) who surveyed over 30,000 middle and high school students regarding their
This study indicated that 53.7% of 8th graders, 70.2% of 10th
alcohol usage.
graders and 76.8% of 12th graders used alcohol at least once a year; 26.1% of
8th graders, 39.9% of 10th graders and 51.3% of 12th graders used alcohol at
least once a month; and 13.4% of 8th graders, 21.1% of 10th graders and 27.9%
of 12th graders binge drank at least once every two weeks.
The work by Rachal, Guess, Hubbard, Maaisto, Cavanaugh, Waddell and Benrud
(1982) indicated that as the age of first alcohol use became younger, there was
alcohol-related problems experienced by
increase of
also a corresponding
The Michigan Substance Abuse and Traffic Safety
adolescents and young adults.
Information Center Report (1994) reported that 33% of adolescents age 14-17
experience negative consequences from alcohol usage, 26% of eighth graders become
prior
drunk at least once during their lifetime, 18% at least once during the
year and 8% at least once during the prior month.
Female high school students binge drink (drinking five or more drinks at
3
one sitting during a two week period) as much as their male counterparts
1989) with the "adolescent gender binge drinking gap" having been
(Johnson,
Johnson et al (1993) found
narrowed into insignificance (Engs and Hanson, 1992).
that 12.8% of female 8th graders, 18.6% of female 10th graders and 20.3% of
least once
like their male counterparts, binge drank at
female 12th graders,
The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (1990) stated that
every two weeks.
28% of adolescents, age 12-17, binge drink to the point cf blackout.
Attemptinc to define undergraduate alcohol usage, Kraft (1984) surveyed
from 1976-80 regarding the
3,196 University of Massachusetts undergraduates
Factor analysis indicated that 94% had used
frequency of their alcohol usage.
6.6 drinks each week.
alcohol at least once a year with 77% drinking on average
Wayne State University
160 undergraduates at
surveyed
When Hunter
(1990)
reported drinking alcohol
regarding the frequency of their alcohol usage, 66%
(1992) completed a secondary analysis
Presley et al
at least once each year.
in the 1989-1990 Core Survey data and
on the responses of 56,361 undergraduates
Presley et al (1993) on the responses of 53,644 undergraduates in the 1989-1991
Factor analysis in both studies indicated on average 43.9%
Core Survey data.
As
using alcohol each week and 85.6% used alcohol during the previous year.
Barnes (1994) studied the predictive order of using substances by undergraduates,
he used secondary analysis on the 1989-90 national archive of Core Survey data
Barnes (1994) found 85.1% of female and
obtained from 58,625 undergraduaces.
85.3% of male undergraduates using alcohol at least once a year.
When
Many studies have shown significant undergraduate binge drinking.
Kraft (1988) reviewed approximately 100 studies, factor analysis imAcated that
Hepending upon the college campus, 19-22% of undergraduates drank six or more
'-inks in a sitting at least once a week, 26-48% once a month and 53-84% once
Wechsler and Issac (1991) studied undergraduate binge behavior by
a year.
4
6
4
surveying 611 undergraduates from 14 public colleges in Massachusetts.
Their
study indicated that 33% of undergraduates binge on alcohol at least once every
Johnston et al
(1993) reported that approximately 40% of college
two weeks.
When Wechsler,
least once every two weeks.
undergraduates binge drink at
Davenport, Dowdall, Boeykens and Castillo (1994) su -/ed 17,592 undergraduates
on public college campuses regarding alcohol usage, an average 44% of both
genders binge on alcohol at least once annually and an average 19% binge on
alcohol at least once a week.
Since the majority of K-12 students use alcohol, as shown in this literature
that a national survey by the National
is not surprising then,
review,
it
Association of Student Councils indicated that 46% of American high school
students believed drinking by their peers was the most serious problem within
their high school (Ordovensky, 1991).
Nor should it be unexpected, since 60%
into college (Digest of
of high school seniors go directly from high school
that surveys measuring undergraduate alcohol
Educational Statistics,
1993),
usage, show undergraduate alcohol usage patterns starting, perhaps years, before
college aumission.
Case Analysis
Figures 1, 2 and 3 present the undergraduate responses during three separate
self-reporting surveys to question 16 (At what age did you first use alcohol?)
on the United States Department of Education Core Alcohol and Drug Use Survey.
Regardless, whether the survey was completed at a midwestern two year
college (Figure 1), at a midwestern four year college (Figure 2), or nationally
(Figure 3), approximately 70% of male and female undergraduates reported using
Furthermore, approximately 40% of each gender reported
alcohol before age 18.
using alcohol before age 16 and approximate:y 20% before age 14.
5
AGE OF FIRST USE OF ALCOHOL
TWO YEAR MIDWESTERN COLLEGE
80
70
60
h 50
40
30
81,)
20
10
Age 18
Age 16
Age 14
Birth
Figure 1
Cumulative Percentage of First Male Usage
Cumulative Percentage of First Female Usage
1992 U.S. Dept. of Education Core Survey
N =1,452
AGE OF FIRST USE OF ALCOHOL
FOUR YEAR MIDWESTERN COLLEGE
20
10
Age 18
Age 16
Age 14
Birth
Figure 2
Cumulative Percentage of First Male Usage
Cumulative Percentage of First Female Usage
1992 U.S. Dept. of Education Core Survey
N=501
6
8
AGE OF FIRST USE OF ALCOHOL
PRESLEY NATIONAL STUDY OF COLLEGES
90
80
70
60
50
,-
------------
40
----
,-----
30
Ar
.,
,
....---
20
,*------
----
----
----
--
10
-<.----- "'"---
,--..:---
0
Age 18
Age 16
Age 14
Birth
Figure 3
Cumulative Percentage of First Male Usage
Cumulative Percentage of First Female Usage
1989-91 U.S. Dept_ of Education Core Survey
N=53,644
IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE ALCOHOL PREVENTION PROGRAMS
As indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the age of first use of alcohol is very
similar for both genders.
Therefore, female alcohol usage before age 18 should
be considered as prevalent and serious as male usage.
The majority of male and female undergraduates have used before age 18, many
This is significant, because the possibility of alcohol
before age 16 and 14.
abuse as an undergraduate becomes greater as the age of first alcohol use becomes
is the high
younger (Barnes et al, 1983). At the other end of the spectrum,
school abstainer, who seldom uses alcohol heavily as an undergraduate (Wechsler
et al, 1979).
Because alcohol usage patterns established before college admission, are
the best predictors of undergraduates abusing alcohol (Sampson et al, 1989), how
can colleges Intercede while these abusive patterns are being formed?
7
9
RECOMMENDATION FOR NETWORKING WITH K-12 SCHOOLS
is to keep something from happening, to
The definition of "prevention"
preclude, to thwart and to forestall (The Reader's Digest Great Encyclopedic
Therefore, it follows that alcohol abuse prevention programs
Dictionary, 1968).
usage patterns become established
need to be presented before the alcohol
Notwithstanding, when colleges and universities concentrate
1993).
(Hansen,
enrolled
currently
programs only
their
at
prevention
abuse
alcohol
which
undergraduates, they are directing their efforts toward a population,
before entering
already had a significant number, who were alcohol abusers
college.
network with K-12 schools,
So in conclusion, colleges and universities must
who develop their abusive
in order to reach the large number of students,
drinking patterns before college admission.